Adjustable attachment for trousers, slacks, skirts or the like



Sept 19 1967 l.. wlEsNE'R 3,341,862

ADJUSTABLE ATTACHMENT FOR TROUSERS SLACKS, SKIRTS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 19, 1966 flag! Sparrow ond Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,341,862 ADJUSTABLE ATTACHMENT FOR TRGUSERS, SLACKS, SKIRTS GR THE LIKE Leo Wiesner, 24 Taylor St., Millburn, NJ. 07041 Filed Oct. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 587,853 Claims. (Cl. 2 221) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE Attachment for the waist band of wearing apparel, such as, trousers, skirts, or the like, elastically adjustable for an improved litting and more comfortable wearing of such garments, wherein the waist band is provided with an inelastic backing tape to which are connected two inelastic upper tapes, with facing ends in spaced relation, the length of each upper tape being substantially less than one-half the length of the backing tape. The upper tapes form sleeves with the backing tape within which elastic members are secured and extend freely therewithin with their front ends toward the front ends of the upper tapes leaving a space between the front ends of the elastic members. Each of the elastic members has a coupling element facing each other, the coupling elements being disposed in spaced apart relation when the elastic members are in an unstressed condition and adapted to lockingly engage under tension of the elastic members.

This invention relates to accessory attachments for garments, particularly to attachments which pertain to easier and more comfortable tting of the garment for the person to wear.

Garments, such as trousers, slacks, skirts, or the like are frequently manufactured according to size with no provision for waist band adjustment. Furthermore, the waist of a person varies from time to time in circumference. Therefore, either the waist band of such a garment has to be re-itted to lthe actual size of the person who desires to wear the garment, or the person has to tolerate wearing the garment too loose or too tight. Also, when the garment piece had been angularly fitted to s-uit properly, and the person loses or gains weight afterwards, the garment would no longer lit well and a condition of discomfort will be incurred.

The foregoing disadvantages will be overcome by the present invention which consists in the novel parts, construction arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for making waist bands of trousers, slacks, skirts or the like iiexible and elastically extensible.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide, as an article of manufacture, an attachment for garments which render the fitting thereof elastic without pressure, and which may be applied to the garment waist band with facility.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable attachment for trousers, which, when applied, will prevent the trousers from dragging and being frayed while Worn.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable waistband attachment for slacks, trousers, skirts and the like garments for protecting same from sliding at the waistline.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an article of manufacture with an adjustable attachment 3,341,852 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 which is easy and simple to attach to garments, such as trousers, slacks, skirts and the like.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a useful and novel article in the form of an adjustable waist band which is inexpensive and can be produced economically.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection With the accompany drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment of the article of the invention.

In the following ldescription and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote similar parts in the figures of the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a rear portion of a pair of trousers, slacks, skirt or the like garment, viewed from the inside thereof, partly broken away, having the elastically extensible attachment of the Waist band in the uncoupled, inoperative position;

FIG. 2 shows the rear portion of the garment as shown in FIG. l, partly broken away, having the elastically extensible attachment of the Waist band in the coupled, operative position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the waist band attachment;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the attachment shown in FIG. 3, taken along the line 4 4 therein;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the attachment shown in FIG. 3, taken along the line 5 5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the attachment shown in F'IG. 3, taken along the line 6 6 in FIG. 3.

Referring now in more detail to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized, there is shown in FIGS. l and 2 the rear portion of a pair of trousers, slacks, skirt or the like garment, designated by the numeral 11. A waist band 12, consisting of a strong fabric, is sewed on the inside of the upper rim 13 of the garment for reinforcing the upper rim or edge 13. An adjustable attachment, designated by the general numeral 14, is sewed on waistband 12, for example, as shown in the drawing, in the rear center of the garment. Attachment 14 consists of a preferably strong backing tape 15, on which two upper tapes 16 and 17 are fastened. Upper tapes 16 and 17 are preferably made o-f the same fabric as backing tape 15 and preferably have the same width as the latter, but their combined length is shorter than the length of the backing tape. Tapes 16 and 17 are fastened with their respective rear ends to the ends of backing tape 15 so that they leave an open space between front ends 18 and 19. Front ends 18 and 19 may be attached with the corners of the tape to backing tape 15, thus each generating substantially an open sleeve or pocket. Elastic or stretchable bands or strips 20 and 21 are sewed at their rear ends to the rear ends of upper tapes 16 and 17. Elastic strips 20 and 21 extend freely movable through the open sleeves. A buckle or comparable device consisting of two coupling or complementary members 23, 24 is arranged at the front ends of strips 2i) and 21 in such manner that coupling member 23 is attached to strip 2i) while coupling part 24 is attached to strip 21. However, the length of strips 20 and 21 is arranged so that coupling members 23 and 24 are situated at a certain distance from one another, when they are not hooked together and when strips 20 and 21 are not elastically extended. By using snap buttons or other complementary means 25, 26 and 27, 28 on elastic strips 20 and 21 for attaching thereto coupling members 23 and 24, respectively, the length or distance between coupling members 23 and 24 may be varied; however, it is preferable that the forward ends of coupling members 23 and 24 be equidistant from an imaginary transverse centerline of the space therebetween and that of front ends 18 and 19 of tapes 16 and 17.

A type of buckle found satisfactory is one that has rectangular openin-g 24a in member 24 and a tab on the other member 23, said tab comprising a neck portion 23a terminating in a substantially enlarged portion 23b which is adapted to be inserted in opening 24a and locked in position.

The use and operation of the attachment may be described as follows. The attachment is stitched to waist band 12 together with backing tape 15 of the trousers, slacks, skirt or the like garment and with coupling rnembers 23 and 24 unhooked, in the condition as shown in FIGS. l and 3. When the coupling members 23 and 24 are hooked together such as shown in FIG. 2, waist band 12 and upper edge 13 of garment 11 are contracted, thus providing for an elastic fitting and good holding of garment 11 around the waistline of the user of said garment without having been fitted precisely to actual size. Since the attachment is elastically extensible, it renders the garment adjustable at the waistline or comfortably adaptable to inevitable temporary variations of the waistline of the user.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided by the invention an elastically extensible attachment for a Waist band of trousers, slacks, skirt or the like garment, having an inelastic backing tape 15, two inelastic upper tapers 16 and 17, the length of each of said upper tapes being substantially less than half the length of said backing tape, the upper tapes being connected to vthe backing tape with their facing front ends 18 and 19 in spaced relation, providing an open space therebetween, the upper tapes forming sleeves with the backing tape, elastic members 20 and 21 being secured within said sleeves, these elastic members extending freely in the sleeves with their front ends toward the front ends of the tapes, respectively, leaving a space between the front ends of the elastic members, and a coupling element 23, 24 connected to each of the front ends of the elastic members 20 and 21, these elements being spaced apart when the elastic members are in an unstressed condition and being adapted to lockingly engage under tension of said elastic members, provision being made on each elastic member for adjusting the length thereof.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

I claim:

1. Elastically extensible attachment for a waist band of trousers, slacks, skirt or the like garment, comprising: an inelastic backing tape, two inelastic upper tapes, the length of each of said upper tapes being substantially less than half the length of said backing tape, said upper tapes being connected to said backing tape with their facing front ends in spaced relation, providing an open space therebetween, said upper tapes forming sleeves with said backing tape, elastic members secured within said sleeves, said elastic members extending freely in said sleeves with their front ends toward said front ends of sai-d upper tapes, respectively, leaving a space between the front ends of said elastic members, and a coupling element connected to each of said front ends of said elastic members, said elements being spaced apart when said elastic members are in an unstressed condition and being adapted to lockingly engage under tension of said elastic members.

2. Attachment for a waist band according to claim 1, and each of said elastic members having means for adjusting the length thereof.

3. Attachment `for a waist band according to claim 2, and said adjusting means comprising a plurality of snap fasteners.

4. Attachment for a waist band according to claim 1, and wherein the rear end portions of said elastic members are secured to at least said backing tape.

5. Attachment for a waist band according to claim 4, and wherein the rear portions of said elastic members are secured to said backing tape and to the rear end portions of said upper tapes respectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 941,277 11/1909 Schmidt 2-237 1,033,066 7/1912 Freedman 2-221 2,137,396 11/ 1938 Gladstone 2-220 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,143,464 2/ 1963 Germany.

291,214 S/ 1928 Great Britain.

I ORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. ELASTICALLY EXTENSIBLE ATTACHMENT FOR A WAIST BAND OF TROUSERS, SLACKS, SKIRT OR THE LIKE GARMENT, COMPRISING: AN INELASTIC BACKING TAPE, TWO INELASTIC UPPER TAPES, THE LENGTH OF EACH OF SAID UPPER TAPES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN HALF THE LENGTH OF SAID BACKING TAPE, SAID UPPER TAPES BEING CONNECTED TO SAID BACKING TAPE WITH THEIR FACING FRONT ENDS IN SPACED RELATION, PROVIDING AN OPEN SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID UPPER TAPES FORMING SLEEVES WITH SAID BACKING TAPE, ELASTIC MEMBERS SECURED WITHIN SAID SLEEVES, SAID ELASTIC MEMBERS EXTENDING FREELY IN SAID SLEEVES WITH THEIR FRONT ENDS TOWARD SAID FRONT ENDS OF SAID UPPER TAPES, RESPECTIVELY, LEAVING A SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT ENDS OOF SAID ELASTIC MEMBERS, AND A COUPLING ELEMENT CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID FRONT ENDS OF SAID ELASTIC MEMBERS, SAID ELEMENTS BEING SPACED APART WHEN SAID ELASTIC MEMBERS ARE IN AN UNSTRESSED CONDITION AND BEING ADAPTED TO LOCKINGLY ENGAGE UNDER TENSION OF SAID ELASTIC MEMBERS. 